Mining The Right Sources For Your Environmentalism Research Paper

Are you writing a research paper on climate change or another environmental topic? There are a number of things that you need to keep in mind.

You can use previous research papers on climate change as a standard for your own research. Rich Seymour, a graduate student at Dominican University of California, wrote one of the most compelling climate change papers of any graduate student I ever saw. Here is a synopsis of his abstract:

“Climate change is an area of science that has been studied for many years. The fossil record has taught humankind much about conditions on Earth long prior to our arrival. We now live in a unique time in that our scientific abilities have not only given us a precise age of the planet, but of the universe itself.

Yet there are many things we do not understand, and some of the questions that remain before us may have a significant impact on the quality of our lives in the future. As our current civilization observes an unquestioned period of warming on Earth, the issue of the nature of this change remains a topic of discussion for both scientists and the public at large.”

We have previously written articles on the importance of choosing the right topic for your environmental research paper. However, there are other issues that you need to look at as well. One of the biggest things that you need to learn is the importance of finding the right sources.

In order to appreciate the importance of using quality sources for your paper, you need to understand the state of environmental research and the public’s understanding of it. You can find out more about these issues below.

Background on the growing body of research in the environmental field

There is a huge paradox in the environmental activism community. Concerns about climate change and other environmental issues are higher than ever before, but education on the topic has not improved significantly. A recent poll by Pew Research showed that the number of Americans citing climate change as a major issue has risen from 40% back in 2013 to 57% last year.

Most people are aware of the growing body of research on the topic. However, they are not fully educated on the scope of the issue or the methodology that has been used to identify the problem. Therefore, people that want to make compelling cases that will convert skeptics need to make sure the research is well documented.

A number of projects have communicated this research very well. Before the Flood is a 2016 movie that was produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, which communicated the horrors of climate change in a very compelling way.

The most impactful part of the movie wasn’t the cinematography or impressive sound effects. The part that really made the case was the compelling research behind the film. DiCaprio interviewed many experts, as well as people that were suffering the problems of climate change firsthand.

This is something that you need to do as well when you are creating a research paper on any environmental topic. Finding the right sources for your paper is essential.

What sources should you use for an environmental research paper?

When writing any paper, some resources are more reliable and repeatable than others. Research papers on environmental topics are no exception.

You can use secondary sources of information. There are tons of other papers that you can use for a literature analysis. These sources are especially useful if you were doing a meta-study of various papers. You can also get someone to write a paper for you that includes these sources.

You should also talk to leading experts firsthand. They may have some findings that did not make it into any of their own papers. You can use these topics as a springboard for your own research paper.

If you have access to extensive resources, then you can also conduct your own field studies. Unfortunately, this is out of the question for the average student. You’re going to need to rely largely on existing literature. However, if you are a graduate student with departmental resources, then this can be a great or even necessary approach to writing your paper.

Make Your Climate Change Paper Sizzle with the Right Sources

Every climate change paper needs to make a salient point. You need the right sources to get the point across. Take the time to choose the right sources and your paper should make an imprint on your readers!